Fill in the Blanks — Study Notes

Overview

Fill in the Blanks questions test your vocabulary, grammar sense and understanding of sentence context. In the SSC GD exam, you will see sentences with one or two blank spaces; your task is to pick the word (or pair of words) that best completes the sentence logically and grammatically. This is a high-scoring section because answers follow fixed patterns — once you understand context clues and collocation (words that naturally go together), accuracy jumps quickly.

Expect 2–4 questions in the English Language section. They assess whether you can understand the overall meaning of a sentence and choose a word that fits both grammatically (correct tense, part of speech) and contextually (logical meaning). Success depends on moderate vocabulary, awareness of common collocations and ability to eliminate obviously wrong options quickly. Treat every sentence as a mini-puzzle: read the full sentence first, predict the missing word mentally, then match your prediction to the options.

Key Concepts

• **Context is king.** The words before and after the blank provide the main clue. Look for indicator words (contrast words like "but", "however" vs. continuation words like "and", "also") to understand whether the blank needs a similar or opposite idea.
• **Parts of speech must match.** If the blank comes after "the", expect a noun. After "very", expect an adjective or adverb. After "will", expect a base verb. Check what grammatical role the blank plays before evaluating options.
• **Collocations are recurring pairs.** Certain words naturally pair together: "heavy rain" (not "strong rain"), "make a decision" (not "do a decision"), "take action" (not "make action"). Familiarity with such combinations eliminates wrong answers instantly.
• **Predict before you look at options.** Read the sentence, mentally fill the blank with your own word, then scan the options for the closest match. This prevents confusion from attractive but wrong distractors.
• **Tone and register matter.** Formal sentences need formal words; informal sentences allow casual words. Don't pick slang in a serious sentence or overly formal words in a casual context.
• **Eliminate aggressively.** Often two options are grammatically wrong or contextually absurd. Rule them out first, then choose between the remaining two based on precise meaning or collocation.

Key Facts

1. **Common blank positions:** After articles (a, an, the), before/after prepositions (in, on, at), between subject and verb, or completing common verb phrases. 2. **Tense agreement:** If the sentence has "yesterday", the blank likely needs a past-tense verb. If "will" appears, use base form or future context words. 3. **Negative + positive pairs:** Words like "although", "despite" signal contrast; "because", "since" signal cause. The blank must fit this logical flow. 4. **Synonyms vs. exact fit:** Sometimes two options are near-synonyms. Pick the one that collocates better with surrounding words. 5. **Preposition partners:** Many words pair with fixed prepositions: "interested in", "good at", "depend on". The blank might be the preposition itself or the word that demands a specific preposition. 6. **Adjective order:** If multiple adjectives are needed, English follows opinion–size–age–shape–colour–origin–material order. The blank must respect this sequence if it's an adjective slot. 7. **Subject-verb agreement:** Singular subjects take "is/was/has"; plural subjects take "are/were/have". A blank verb must agree in number with its subject. 8. **Idioms and phrasal verbs:** Phrases like "break down", "call off", "look into" are tested. If the blank completes an idiom, you must know the exact expression.

Worked Examples

**Example 1:** *Sentence:* The thief tried to ______ the police by hiding in the bushes. *Options:* (a) avoid (b) invite (c) meet (d) help **Solution:** Step 1: Context — a thief hiding from the police. The blank describes his intention. Step 2: Predict — "escape" or "avoid" fits logically. Step 3: Check options — "avoid" (a) matches the meaning. "Invite", "meet", "help" make no sense for a hiding thief. **Answer:** (a) avoid

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**Example 2:** *Sentence:* She is very ______ in Mathematics and often helps her classmates. *Options:* (a) weak (b) poor (c) proficient (d) boring **Solution:** Step 1: Clue — "helps her classmates" suggests she has strong ability. Step 2: Predict — "good" or "skilled". Step 3: Evaluate — "proficient" (c) means highly skilled. "Weak" and "poor" contradict the helping behavior. "Boring" is irrelevant. **Answer:** (c) proficient

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**Example 3:** *Sentence:* He was ______ to hear the news of his success in the exam. *Options:* (a) thrilled (b) disappointed (c) angry (d) sad **Solution:** Step 1: Context — success is positive news. Step 2: Predict — a positive emotion like "happy" or "excited". Step 3: "Thrilled" (a) is the positive emotion fitting success. The other three are negative. **Answer:** (a) thrilled

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**Example 4 (Two blanks):** *Sentence:* Although he was ______, he continued to work ______. *Options:* (a) tired, lazily (b) tired, diligently (c) energetic, lazily (d) energetic, diligently **Solution:** Step 1: "Although" signals contrast between the two blanks. Step 2: If first blank is negative ("tired"), second must be positive (hardworking). If first is positive ("energetic"), second should be negative. Step 3: Option (b) "tired, diligently" gives the required contrast: despite tiredness, he worked hard. **Answer:** (b) tired, diligently

Common Mistakes

1. **Ignoring the contrast/continuity marker.** Students see "but" or "however" and still pick a word that continues the same idea instead of contrasting it. Fix: Highlight signal words (but, although, because) and confirm your choice opposes or supports accordingly.

2. **Choosing a synonym without checking collocation.** "Heavy rain" is correct; "strong rain" sounds odd even though "heavy" and "strong" are similar. Fix: Say the completed sentence aloud mentally. If it sounds unnatural, pick the other synonym.

3. **Picking the only word you know.** If you recognise one tough word among options, you might choose it assuming it's correct. Fix: Eliminate options based on meaning and grammar first. The familiar word might be a distractor.

4. **Missing tense or number agreement.** Using "was" with a plural subject or "are" with a singular subject. Fix: Identify the subject, count it (singular/plural), then match verb form strictly.

5. **Confusing similar-sounding words.** "Adapt" vs. "adopt", "affect" vs. "effect". Students pick the wrong one because they sound alike. Fix: Learn precise meanings. "Adapt" = adjust; "adopt" = take in. "Affect" = influence (verb); "effect" = result (noun).

Quick Reference

• **Read the full sentence first** — never jump to options without understanding context.
• **Predict your own answer** — then match it to the closest option.
• **Check grammar fit** — part of speech, tense, singular/plural must align.
• **Look for collocations** — "take a decision", "make a mistake", "do homework" are fixed pairs.
• **Signal words guide logic** — "but/however" = contrast; "and/also" = continuation; "because/since" = reason.
• **Eliminate two wrong options fast** — usually two choices are absurd; pick the better of the remaining two.